NEST Scotland - The Wester Ross Project
 The NEST project in Scotland is managed by The Highland Council, which is the regional government body covering the whole of Northern Scotland. However, the Council took the decision to concentrate on one part of The Highlands, called Wester Ross, and to do so by devolving much of the decision-making and project management to 4 local tourism-industry groups. The groups decided to come together under the name “Tourism @ Wester Ross”, with the objective of increasing the levels of tourism business by co-ordinated marketing, developing nature tourism, and raising standards of service in the local industry.
Tourism @ Wester Ross has produced a comprehensive marketing plan to guide the work over the next few years. To date, there have been a number of achievements:
 A series of local Business-to-Business meetings to help ensure that accommodation providers, visitor attractions, wildlife guides, artisans and craft producers are all aware of each other’s services, and so can recommend each other to clients.- Development of nature and wildlife training modules for hotel and shop staff so that they can help keep visitors informed.
- A website to attract potential visitors to the area and to inform them of what they can see and do once they get here
A number of activities are currently being developed, including:
- Creation and management of a Wester Ross “brand” that will associate our name with opportunities for nature tourism, and raise awareness of this area.
- Publication of co-ordinated marketing and interpretation materials to attract people to the area and to inform them of what is available here, what can be seen and activities to take part in.
- A local distribution network for all such materials so that all members of Tourism @ Wester groups will have copies of all relevant materials.
- Training modules to inform staff working in various isolated communities of the attractions in other parts of the area, so helping visitors to get the most from their stay.
  The long-term hope is that existing businesses in Wester Ross will see the benefit of working together to ensure sustainable and high quality nature-based tourism, and that a number of new specialist businesses will be encouraged to open.
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